The Many Faces of Tyranny
by Izzy Antaeta
Summary: A/U. "Bring Your Daughter to Work" Day onboard the Chimeara proves a detriment to the crew's sanity.


For legal purposes, I don't own Thrawn, the Chimeara or anything else star warsie. The only thing that's mine is the Dynamic Duo of Disaster, Segan and Kadia. ^_^  
  
The Many Faces of Tyranny  
  
  
Segan peered down the massive shaft. Below it opened into the polarized chamber which housed the main reactor which powered the Chimeara. Her eyes reflected the dim glow of the reactor core hundreds of meters below, with the low rumble and hum of the engines. A nudge on the shoulder reminded her to quite dazing. Kadia raised her voice to be heard over the din; "Ready?"  
Segan gave a curt nod. She continued to inch out, as she and Kadia hefted a massive bag of Dugesian Salt Crystals. How Kadia had secured the bag, Segan had no idea. But she did know that the charges of the salt crystals would cause explosions when the polarization of the reactor catalyzed them, rocketing electrons and cramming them dangerously to high energy levels within the molecules. Despite the precarious balance of molecules, the explosion at this level would do nothing more then rattle the lower levels of the Star Destroyer, causing the lights to flicker. This in turn activated some of the emergency klaxons. While it did little more then irritate the crew and troops on board, it was still sufficient enough to stand as a goofy, pestering prank. The girls enjoyed watching the frowning crew members and technicians whose job it was to recalibrate the ship's systems when their "joke" caused the sensors to flip wildly before settling back down.  
"Ok, on three, drop it and haul your cookies back over to the plank. Got it?" Kadia grinned.  
"Got it" Segan grinned back. Kadia began counting and on three, they heaved the bag of Dugesian Salt Crystals off the catwalk. They quickly scurried to the safety of the planks, and watched the bag plummet towards the reactor core. Minutes later, an aching roar emulated up the shaft, accompanied by a gush of air and light, the shock waves of the crystals exploding. The girls clamped their eyes shut and held their ears, as the vicious tornado of air engulfed them, stringing their hair all over, lashing their flight suits. For several seconds, the whole serious of lower levels rumbled a groan, the power vacillating in energetic spurts. As it passed, the girls exchanged high fives, ignoring the irritating call of an alarm. It died quickly and Segan guessed tech crews were already at their bulkheads and control panels, adjusting the arrays and re-finetuning the feed of the input and output monitors. As standard procedure went, a technical team would be making its way down, scowering the shaft to make sure everything was in place and no streaks of after-shock electricity were climbing the walls. Kadia and Segan generally became scarce at this time. While they didn't doubt the crew had their hunches about the reactor explosions, they weren't about to step forward with their hands in the air. They evacuated the area, taking a lift to one of the higher levels to peruse the ship at leisure and menace any number of the crew members unfortunate enough to be on shift. The com on Segan's belt loop rang.  
"Wow, record time" Kadia remarked dryly. Segan sighed and answered the page. She looked down at the small holovid. As she'd expected, it was her father. Grand Admiral Thrawn wore a patient but somewhat irritated look. His white uniform was straight and perfectly set, creased only where it should be, and spotless all over. The golden shoulder braids and overlays evened the uniform symmetrically, the insignia on his left breast polished and aligned. His blue humanoid skin was clean, his face smooth, and his blue-black hair combed neatly. His red eyes glistened as he studied his daughter through the holovid.  
"Segan" he said calmly. The girl quirked an eyebrow, feigning innocence.  
"Yes?"  
"Would you mind meeting me on the command deck in several minutes?" he asked, his voice smooth as water.  
"For what?" Segan shrugged. She knew perfectly well what was to come, but enjoyed toying with the situation.  
Thrawn narrowed his shining red eyes. "Will you come willingly or am I required to send Rukh up to retrieve you?" he said, lips curling in amusement.  
Segan glowered back, her anger creasing her brow. Thrawn waited a moment, then continued.  
"Very well. I shall see you there," and with another subtle grin, the holovid blipped out his face.  
Segan frowned, her agitation manifested across her delicate features.  
"I hate it when he pits me against that Nohgri" she mumbled, stuffing the com into a pocket and heading for a lift. Kadia grinned, folding her arms and following.  
" 'Cuz you don't stand a chance" she mused. Segan partially rolled her eyes.  
"No kidding" she shot back. "Command deck" she said outloud to the computer, and the lift shot towards the upper levels of the Imperial Star Destroyer. It came to a smooth stop at the command deck and the door whisked open. Segan threw a glance at Kadia.  
"Good luck" the other grinned.  
"Yeah yeah" Segan grumbled, as she ambled towards the anteroom doors. The guard posted in the hall snickered at her. Coyly, she snickered right back. This was becoming a usual routine; Segan does a bad thing, Segan gets sent to the office. How amusing the guard must've found it.  
The doors to the anteroom opened and Segan stepped in. It was a small, poorly lit room and Segan knew that stalking her amidst the shadows was her father's bodyguard, the Nohgri.  
"Go away, Rukh" she called out impatiently, and caught sight of a flash of movement to her left. She put her hands on her hips and waited, as the assassin glided into the light with feline grace, coiled. He eyed Segan with dark eyes, lips pulled into a devlish grin. Segan stood unmoving. The Nohgri disappeared for a second. His voice mewed in her ear, and she glanced over her right shoulder to see he had taken up position there.  
"One day, young one, I am hoping our Lord will send me to retrieve you. I am most curious to see what feeble defense you might attempt" he hissed gleefully.  
"And I'm just as curious to see what ridiculous games you come up with to catch me" she muttered in response. "Open the door."  
"Games?" he gurgled a low laugh. His voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned closer. "The skills of stalking and hunting are no games, young one" he said. The doors to the command chamber slid open, and Segan was all too anxious to step through.  
"We shall see" she shot back as she approached her father in his repulsorchair, reviewing a datapad. She stopped several feet in front of him and smiled sweetly. "You wished to see me?"  
Thrawn leaned back in his chair and let his gaze settle on Segan. He wore a tiny smile, not an expression of anger. He trained his strange red eyes on her face, studying her carefully.  
"There was an explosion several minutes ago. Another one. Care to explain?" he asked calmly. Segan shrugged casually. Thrawn let the silence haunt her for a moment.  
"As entertaining as you and Kadia find this, it's intolerable" he commented. Segan decided not to talk, keeping her mouth closed. Grand Admiral Thrawn stood, placing the datapad back onto the chair. He stood staring down, not necessarily a scare tactic.  
"Whatever it is that you are doing must stop" he said, eyes still trained on her face. "This craft is not for your destructive pleasure."  
"Just yours?" Segan countered. Thrawn stifled a grin at her response; not that she had smarted off, but rather that she was quick with words.  
"Force is sometimes necessary to pick up where wit can no lounger result in progress" he nodded.  
"Then your precious Empire was very short on wits, wasn't it?" Segan scoffed pleasantly.  
"Watch with whom you confer, Segan" Thrawn responded coolly.  
Segan rested her weight on one foot, folding her arms. "I'm not afraid. I don't belong on this ship anyway" she said. Thrawn clasped his hands behind his back.  
"And where else would you go?" he asked quietly.  
"Anywhere."  
"You avoid specificity because you have no where to go." It wasn't a question.  
"Thanks to you" she sneered. Thrawn was quiet for a second.  
"Segan. . . "he said softly. She dropped her gaze, having been hurt by the barrage of her home by Imperial cannons. Her eyes flickered up to meet his, a touch of resentment traced across her features.  
". . . . .It was not my intention to get into a verbal battle here. And I am sorry that you feel you were orphaned under my orders. But you were engaging in activities which not confrom to Imperial regulation" he said.  
"Forget the platitudes" Segan waved a hand, flustered.  
"From this point on, your little tricks with the reactor core are strictly prohibited. The next time will not be without repraisal. Understood?" Thrawn eyed her sternly, his grim expression unwavering. Segan simply stared back, and Thrawn had not expected much more for an answer.  
"You need not run, Segan. You are home" he added softly. Her gaze flitted to his young, clean-cut face. He was very young for someone of his rank. His eyes glistening, he smiled gently. She inhaled steeply, lips pursed in pent up fury, before pivoting on her heels and quickly hurrying out of the command chamber. She stormed without stopping through the anteroom, where no doubt, Rukh was snickering at her reprimand.  
Stomping considerably, she picked her way back to the lift, mumbling and griping the whole way, before tugging out her com to page Kadia. Kadia was the daughter of Thrawn's second-in-command, and was probably facing a reprimand herself for their actions. Why did their fathers have to be such tyrants. They couldn't have any fun. What else were they supposed to do? Stuck on a service ship, forever moving about the galaxy carrying out orders. Segan rather sympathized with the so-called rebellion. She had been discovered helping them out, and Thrawn and several other admirals had used the village where she and the other "criminals" resided for target practice. Disgust curled her lips as she sulked back to her quarters to mope about her room in agitation.  
She plopped down on her bed, leaning against the wall, and amplifying her music player to the tune of some latest interstellar rock group. It wasn't long before a knock came at the door, and a pitiful looking Kadia moseyed in. She had a seat beside Segan and the two looked pitiful together.  
"Got busted too huh?" Segan quirked a half grin at her friend.  
"Duh" Kadia answered without looking up, her attention diverted to a hangnail on her finger. The silence emerged again, save for the heavy melody of the rock song.  



End file.
